Gregory (Keith) Boutwell, CBS and executive account manager at B&D Technologies (a division of B&D Industrial), explains how he used his bearings expertise to save a customer thousands of dollars through correct bearing installation.

The medical device industry today has numerous standards and regulations to follow, most notable amongst them being ISO 9001 and ISO 13485. However, these requirements have a shared blind spot: critical processes (heat treating, sterilization, etc.). In the medical industry, all of the standards and audits suppliers need to adhere to focus on general system quality. If the critical processes aren’t being looked at equipment can still fail because of poor craftsmanship.

Without the sun, there would be no Earth and no life. However, our knowledge about our home star is still very limited. This is about to change. In 2018, the European Space Agency (ESA) will send its Solar Orbiter into space, equipped with a thick heat shield.

Power Transmission Engineering is collaborating with the Bearing Specialists Association (BSA) on a special section within the magazine. Bearing Briefs will present updated reports on bearing topics for each issue in 2016. Complimentary access to all BSA Bearing and Industry Briefs is available on the BSA website at www.bsahome.org/tools.

In this century’s complex, ever- changing world of manufacturing, such capabilities as hardware and software expertise, effective location and distribution, business savvy and yes, even luck, are some of the cardinal requirements for running a successful business.

The manufacturing process begins in a limestone quarry. Mining methods such as ripping, dozing, drilling and blasting are commonly employed. Limestone provides the first essential component, calcium, for the anufacture of cement. Materials are transported to the crushing plant for further size reduction. Common methods of transport are trucks, loaders and belt conveyors.

Specialist power transmission supplier JBJ Techniques Limited, of Redhill, Surrey, England were recently contacted by the staff of Bloodhound SSC R&D engineering team to solve a problem on the fuel pump test rig. JBJ Techniques had worked with various team members in the past and this previous experience made JBJ an easy choice to assist with this project. The scope of supply was to produce a suitable drive coupling with a maximum diameter of 160 mm, capable of transmitting 550 Nm @ 10,000 rpm, with as short an assembly as possible, and at the same time be able to accept misalignment within the drivetrain.

in the performance and life of a rolling element bearing. Less than 10 percent of bearings reach their theoretical L10 life, and poor lubrication can be attributed to 80 percent of those that fall short. Ideally, a lubricant forms a film layer between moving components in a bearing, separating moving parts, minimizing friction and preventing wear between balls or rollers, raceways and retainers. Lubricants also protect metal surfaces from corrosion and moisture, dissipate heat and can even prevent the ingress of contaminants.

Lubrication management should be standard operating procedure at any manufacturing facility. Vital to both operational and maintenance personnel, a strong, coherent and specific lubrication program will have lasting results in machine efficiency and maintenance. Of course, even those with the best intentions can’t always keep up with the challenges presented day-to-day on the manufacturing floor. Thankfully, PTE is here to help with eight steps to selecting, storing, analyzing and managing your lubrication requirements.

Dale Renner, CBS and sales representative at Bearing Headquarters Co., explains how his bearing expertise helped solve a customer’s problem and saved significant downtime and cost.